Onyeka, Boateng & Golding chosen in 2017 CFL Draft

WATERLOO, ON – Three members of the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men’s football team were selected in the 2017 CFL Canadian Draft on Sunday night.

Linebacker Nakas Onyeka of Brampton Ont., was the first Golden Hawk to have his name called out during the draft. Onyeka was chosen 36th overall in the fifth round by the Toronto Argonauts, and was the fifth linebacker selected in the 2017 draft. Coming off his best season yet, the communications major shone in 2016 as he was the OUA President’s Award recipient, as well as an OUA First Team All-Star and U SPORTS First-Team All-Canadian.

Following suit was teammate and defensive lineman Kwaku Boateng from Milton, Ont., who was picked in the fifth round, 41st overall by the Edmonton Eskimos. This past season, Boateng went down in Golden Hawk history as the team’s all-time sacks leader, with 20.5 to his name, and was both a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian and an OUA First Team All-Star.

In Edmonton, Boateng will join fellow men’s football alum Shamawd Chambers, who was drafted sixth overall by the Eskimos in 2012, and rejoined the team this offseason after spending last year with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Concluding Laurier’s presence in the draft was offensive lineman Brett Golding of Dunnville, Ont., who was selected 58th overall in the seventh round by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Golding has dressed for 15 regular season games in his career with the purple and gold despite missing all of last season due to injury.

“I’m really excited for Nakas, Kwaku and Brett on a special night for themselves, their family and the whole Laurier Football community. The Argos, Eskimos and Ticats will all be better teams with them,” commented Laurier head coach Michael Faulds after witnessing three members from his first recruiting class as head coach selected in the CFL draft.

Laurier’s three picks in the draft contributed to the 56 U SPORTS players drafted this year, and mark a total of 125 players from the purple and gold to be drafted to the CFL since 1970.